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Somehow, it’s already been four years since the release ofGod of War (2018),and fans are now only a handful of weeks away from the sequel: God of War Ragnarok. The time for answers, reveals and dramatic twists is almost here, but what exactly should fans be looking for again? Quite a lot was set in motion during the events of God of War, so much that most players have probably lost track of at least some of the loose threads by now. Even so, chances are good that Ragnarok will be picking up those threads, so here are a few to keep an eye out for. Heads up for those who haven’t yet played or finished God of War (2018): there are spoilers both major and minor ahead.
Thor, God of Thunder
Thor wasn’t an active player in the events of God of War, but his influence was felt nonetheless thanks to his sons Modi and Magdi. Over the course of the game, Kratos and Atreus end up killing both minor gods, and Kratos ominously states that “there are consequences to killing gods.” Indeed, it’s looking like those consequences are indeed coming to call in God of War Ragnarok, with Thor likely to be one of the sequel’s main antagonists alongside the now very vengeful Freya.
When he does come seeking a confrontation Kratos will no doubt oblige, but there’s apparently no clear-cut victor in this scenario. Even Mimir, the self-proclaimed “smartest man in all the realms,” himself doesn’t know what would happen should the two gods ever come to blows. Considering that, it’s likely that fans will get treated to at least a couple bouts with Thor before the conclusion of Ragnarok.
Still, for all his power, Thor might not actually be the biggest threat facing Kratos and his son. After all, brute strength can simply be met head-on, but the disastrous combination of scheming, deception and manipulation is something else entirely. Kratos has consistently been bested by those who wield such, and there’s one foe in this realm that wields them better than any other.
Odin The All-Father
Constantly referenced but never seen, the All-Father is perhaps the one who’s most responsible for the Nine Realms' utterly abysmal state. He’s directly responsible for the extermination of the Jotunn, the one who imprisoned Mimir, betrayed Freya, sowed deadly discord in Alfheim and has raised up a rather despotic, borderline psychotic family of Aesir. The implications of his actions likely go farther, but this is most of what is explicitly known about him. He is, in other words, a bad dude and an awful ruler.
Odin is also privy to future events and thus has seen his own downfall via Ragnarok. Being the insatiably power-hungry despot that he is, downfall is not in his plan. So, he’s spent who knows how long now working, scheming, plotting, maiming and killing in order to prevent Ragnorok and his resulting loss of supremacy.
His obliteration of the Jotunn was perhaps his most drastic and desperate attempt to stop the inevitable, so he’s likely to go berserk if and when he learns of Atreus' Jotunn heritage. Considering all that he already knows, though, it’s kind of a wonder that he’s still following this path. Ragnarok will happen, Jorgamander’s presence is proof of that. Even so, Odin will almost certainly make an appearance soon, and it’ll likely be one that no one in all the Nine Realms will ever forget.
At the end of God of War, we learn that Atreus' mother, Faye, was actually a Jotunn. This means that Atreus is himself half-Jotunn and the inheritor of his people’s hopes and wishes. It is also revealed that the giants foresaw everything he and Kratos went through over the course of the story and that his Jotunn name is “Loki.”
It’s also hinted that he has an important role to play in Ragnarok, aka the final battle at the end of the world, and is depicted mourning an apparently-dead Kratos. It’s still unclear what exactly he will do in this version of events, but given the theme of patricide in this series, there’s a good chance that he himself did the deed. Current day Loki seems incapable of such an act, but he has been shown to have a dark side and is prone to impulsive rage in much the same way Kratos used to be. Indeed, his continued development will be critical to outcome of Ragnarok’s story.
Kratos and Atreus encounter Freya early in their journey, and quickly proves to be a valuable ally. Not only does she conceal them from the Aesir and show them a path to the Lake of Nine, but she also reanimates Mimir, heals Atreus of his ailment (at least temporarily) and provides valuable guidance throughout much of the story.
Unfortunately for everyone, she’s also the mother of Baldur, the nigh-invincible god who’s been antagonizing the pair from the very outset of the game. She never wanted to see him die, so she long-ago blessed him with invulnerability. Baldur, however, hates her for this because it also robs him of all feeling. Both mother and son are destructively stubborn, which eventually puts Kratos in an impossible situation: either kill Baldur (after he’s rendered vulnerable) or allow Baldur to kill Freya.
Kratos goes for the former option, instantly transforming Freya from a staunch ally to a bitter enemy. She’s sworn revenge against both Kratos and Atreus, so fans can expect that she’ll single-mindedly pursue that goal in Ragnarok. The common assumption is that she’ll try to kill Kratos, but perhaps the former queen of the Vanir won’t be so predictable.
Tyr, Aesir God of War and Laws
Tyr’s Temple in the middle of the Lake of Nine acts as a sort of hub for the Nine Realms and the lynchpin of realm travel. While exploring it, Kratos and Atreus learn of Tyr’s travels through the realms and see that he’s even gone to those belonging to entirely different pantheons of gods. His reason was apparently to study art of war in each, which means he was (or still is?) an extremely powerful combatant to say the least. Tyr is never encountered in-game, but there’s a chance that he will make an appearance in Ragnarok.
That said, it’s still not entirely clear who exactly Tyr is. Since time travel is a thing in this universe, some theorize that he’s a future version of Atreus due to his deep martial knowledge and capability. As cool as that would be, it’s much more likely that Tyr is in fact an entirely separate character with his own role to play as Fimbulwinter ends and Ragnarok approaches. Odin claimed that Tyr was dead, but one shouldn’t ever trust a word out of that particular Aesir’s mouth. He absolutely is alive and it looks like Kratos and the boy will have their chance to meet him.
God of War left-off on a compelling note, the sort that makes the wait for a sequel all the more difficult. While its world was beautiful and its gameplay beyond solid, it was probably the surprisingly human story that made the greatest impact. Fans saw Kratos transform from a rage-filled agent of vengeance to a man trying to what’s best for what’s left of his family. Will he succeed in preventing Atreus from following his old path (or worse) or will the cycle of death continue on? Will the Odin and the other Aesir be made to see reason or will they push thing beyond reconciliation? The answers are there and they’re only a few weeks away now.
